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Transition Metals

Complexes, ligands and coordination number

  • 3 things to know
  • Unit A2 2

Overview

Bond joins a ligand to the metal, coordination number of a complex and coordination number of [Cu(H₂O)₆]²⁺.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is a complex, what is a ligand, what kind of bond joins them, and what is the coordination number?

Key term

What is a complex?

Key term

What is a ligand?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is a complex?

    Model answer

    A central metal atom or ion surrounded by a number of ligands bonded to it.

  2. 2

    What is a ligand?

    Model answer

    A molecule or an ion with a lone pair of electrons that it can donate to the central metal atom or ion.

  3. 3

    What kind of bond joins a ligand to the metal?

    Model answer

    A coordinate, or dative covalent, bond, in which both electrons of the shared pair come from the ligand.

  4. 4

    Why must a ligand possess a lone pair?

    Model answer

    It has to supply both electrons of the bond, since the metal ion provides an empty orbital and no electrons of its own.

  5. 5

    What is the coordination number of a complex?

    Model answer

    The number of coordinate bonds from the ligands to the central metal ion.

  6. 6

    What is the coordination number of [Cu(H₂O)₆]²⁺?

    Model answer

    Six.

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